Liverpool transfer news: Virgil van Dijk picks Jurgen Klopp

Liverpool transfer news: Iker Casillas on his way to Anfield

24 May

The Reds are on the brink of pulling off a coup with the capture of goalkeeping great Iker Casillas. According to the Daily Express the 36-year-old former Real Madrid gloveman has signed a pre-contract with the Reds after deciding against signing on for a third year at Porto.

And the Daily Star also says that Liverpool are in the running to sign Ante Coric, the Dinamo Zagreb star who has set Croatia alight this season. Just 20 year old, the midfielder has burst onto the scene and attracted interest from Tottenham and West Brom, as well as the Italian pair of Roma and Sampdoria. No fee is mentioned but with Coric contracted to Zagreb until 2022, any club interested in signing the youngster will have to make the Croatians an irresistible offer.

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Liverpool transfer news: No deal yet for striker Luan

16 May

Contrary to popular perception Liverpool are not on the brink of signing Gremio forward Luan.

According to reports earlier in the season the Reds had agreed a £26m deal with the Brazil international but that is apparently not the case. Website Goal.com says that the 24-year-old frontman, dubbed "the new Ronaldinho", is one of the hottest talents in South America right now and Liverpool gaffer Jurgen Klopp is known to be a fan, no deal has been agreed.

When Gremio president, Romildo Bolzan, was asked if the rumours of an imminent move to Anfield were true, he replied: "We have no approach, no official proposal [from Liverpool]. We have absolutely no concrete proposal... Luan is a player who said he would have had proposals but so far none have come."

To further dampen speculation of a summer deal, Luan's agent, Jair Peixoto said: "We do talk to Liverpool, as we talk to other clubs as well, but there is no proposal."

If any club wants Mamadou Sakho this summer he will cost them £30m. That's the eye-watering sum the Daily Mirror says Liverpool have slapped on the player the paper describes as a "misfit defender".

The France international centre-back has spent much of the season on loan with Crystal Palace after falling out with Klopp and although the 27-year-old would love another stint at Anfield the Mirror says he now "accepts his future lies elsewhere".

But the Reds are demanding £12m more than they paid for Sakho three years ago and that could be an obstacle to offloading the fiery French blocker. The Mirror says Palace would love to sign him full-time but the asking price is "prohibitive" and the Eagles may look to haggle down the fee in the coming weeks.

Liverpool transfer news: Coutinho 'agrees to Barcelona move'

10 May

There is some terrible news for Liverpool in the pages of the Daily Express with the paper's shocking claim that Philippe Coutinho has agreed to join Barcelona next summer.

The Brazilian midfielder has been linked with the Spanish giants in the past but according to Spanish rag, Sport, the 24-year-old South American "has given the thumbs-up for the clubs to begin negotiations over a fee".

It's not secret that Barca are going to have a summer shake-up following their disappointing season and it seems that top of their shopping list is Coutinho.

Influential for Jurgen Klopp’s side throughout the season, the playmaker won't come cheap with the Express believing the Reds "could demand a fee as big as the £75m Barca paid for Luis Suarez in 2014".

But it's not a done deal yet, and according to the Liverpool Echo Coutinho's future could come down to the influence of two men - Neymar and Klopp.

On one hand, Coutinho is close to Barcelona ace and Brazil teammate Neymar, who wants his friend to join him at the Camp Nou.

On the other, there is Liverpool manager Klopp, who is something of a father figure for the midfielder and could yet persuade him to stick with his current club.

Back at the Express there is a smidgen of good news for Reds fans, as the paper says Klopp is "eyeing a move" for Roma star Mohamed Salah, who failed to make an impression on the Premier League during an unhappy stint with Chelsea.

Apparently the German gaffer has called off the chase as far as Julian Brandt is concerned with the Bayer Leverkusen star no longer on the Reds radar. Instead Liverpool have earmarked Salah as a summer acquisition with the Egyptian international first mooted as a Reds target three years ago.

Since then he's developed well in the Serie A and he could be part of a double winger swoop with the Express also reporting that Liverpool are "set to renew their interest" in Arsenal's Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Liverpool transfer news: Van Dijk blow, Klopp turns to Keane

9 May

Liverpool's hopes of landing Virgil van Dijk in the summer have been dealt a blow, according to the Daily Express, which says Southampton manager Claude Puel is adamant that Van Dijk will stay at the club next season regardless of interest from the likes of the Reds, Arsenal and Chelsea.

The three clubs have been linked with the Dutch defender in recent weeks, even though the centre-half is recuperating from an injury, but Puel seems confident that Van Dijk will report for duty at St Mary's next season.

"Yes," he retorted when asked if he expected the Holland international to captain the Saints next season. "He has a long contract and I think the day he returns we will want to keep him".

The Express alleges that Southampton have put a £50m price tag on Van Dijk in a bid to ward off suitors but judging from Puel's comments even if any club did match that sum he would fight to keep hold of his skipper.

Talking of defenders, the Daily Mirror says that Liverpool "believe they can beat bitter rivals Manchester United to Burnley's Michael Keane".

The 24 year-old £25m-rated defender has attracted the interest of Anfield boss Jurgen Klopp and the Mirror says the centre-half is top of the German's shopping list. United have also been seen sniffing around the England defender but according to the paper Klopp is "is confident of closing the deal".